‘The Rite of Spring’ at 100

For last Sunday’s print edition of the Orange County Register, my fellow arts writers and I got together to create a package for the A section of the newspaper on ‘The Rite of Spring,’ which turns 100 in May. A number of local events celebrate the occasion. My job, of course, was to write about the music — for a general audience — in 850 words or less.

3 comments

You are absolutely right in everything you wrote about one of my favorite pieces of music, but i was a little disappointed that, while concentrating understandably on rhythm, meter, adrenaline, “uppercut to the jaw” and such, you never mentioned anything about beautiful lyrical parts of it, such as for example the very opening – with its vivid depiction of nature’s awakening after a long winter – or the mysterious slow beginning of the second part. There is much more to the piece than its undeniable rhythmical excitement.

We saw it Friday from the balcony, and for once being a denizen of the balcony paid off! The orchestra was pretty good and the dancers were terrific. It was downright thrilling. Nobody nodded off during this one. I only wish we had booked another night.

Friday’s program included Son of Chamber Symphony by Adams, so we got some new music, Tim.

I’m not the critic or wordsmith you other folks here are, so I’ll just say it might very well be the best concert (is ballet a concert?), show, whatever, I’ve seen. Yeah, even better than Zappa and Capt Beefheart that one night in Evansville, Ind.